West Bengal: Stock of medicine depleting fast, pharmacies seek govt intervention

KOLKATA: A sudden dip in medicine supplies, triggered by a very thin transportation facility, has resulted in fast-depleting stock in neighbourhood pharmacies. Alarmed with the situation, pharmacies in the city have sought state government’s intervention to ensure steady supplies from distributor to retail points across the state.
On Friday, there was shortage of medicines for diabetic patients, gastro trouble, high blood pressure in markets across the city.“There is a shortage even on the third day of lockdown. Whether it is Amlodipin (for high blood pressure), Metformin (diabetes) or Ranitidine (stomach ulcer), we are saying no to customers,” said Prashanta Pal, a medicine shop owner on Mall Road, Dum Dum. “Syringes used by diabetic patients are almost out of stock. It seems we are fighting a very unequal battle,” he added.

The worst affected are patients with cardiac problems, diabetes, hypertension and high uric acid. “There is a crisis of these medicines because their demand is so high. Initially, I thought of hiring some people to bring the supplies, but even they are unwilling to do the work,” said Durga Prasad Banerjee of Durga Medical Stores on Makardah Road. Retailers normally keep a low stock during March and stack it up during April, but the lockdown caught them unawares.
Lakshmi Medical Hall on Bhagaban Chatterjee Street has shut down for want of supply replenishment. "Gradually, all the medical stores, other than a handful of those that are a part of the big chain, will not be able to function," rued owner Kashinath Das. In Shyambazar, medicine wholesalers were even unable to provide daily necessities to retailers. “There is enough stock at storage houses. But we do not have any means to deliver it to retailers,” said Subir Sen, who owns a wholesale business at Rajballav Para near Shyambazar.
Many of the distributors and stockists at Mehta Building — a hub for medicine supplies in Kolkata — downed their shutters on Friday. With no staff to work and zero supplies in past couple of days, many of them have decided to keep shops closed. “There is enough stock at warehouses. But how are we going to ferry that?” wondered Sanjay Kumar Mukim, owner of Gautam & Gautam at Mehta Building.
Wholesalers at Mehta Building on Friday pointed out that medicine first reaches super stockist and clearing and forwarding agents’ warehouses from the manufacturers. It then comes to distributors and stockists and retailers collect supplies from them.
“There are more than 7,000 stockists and retailers in Kolkata and nearly 40,000 of them across the state. Large transporters like Kamakhya Roadways and NTC Transport are not receiving supply orders. We are facing similar problems in north Bengal as well. It eased out a bit since Thursday after we informed state transport minister Suvendu Adhikari,” said Sajal Ganguly, general secretary of Bengal Chemist and Druggists Association.
Cops on Friday visited Bagri Market and Mehta Building to talk to stockists and distributors of medicine. “They have assured us that passes will be issued to staff of the shops so that they do not find it difficult to travel. Shops will now start operating properly,” said Ashotosh Singh, president of Bagri Market Central Kolkata Traders Welfare Association.